International Court of Justice to hold Public Hearings from 06th October to 08th October.

Sept 2025 : The International Court of Justice will hold public hearings on the request for an advisory opinion on the Right to Strike under ILO Convention No. 87 from Monday 6 to Wednesday 8 October 2025 at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

Twenty States and five international organisations have expressed their intention to participate in the oral proceedings before the Court.

Schedule for the hearings:

The schedule for the hearings adopted by the Court is as follows:

Monday 6 October 2025:

10 AM – 10.15 AM Opening of the oral proceedings

10.15 AM – 10.45 AM International Labour Office

10.45 AM – 11.45 AM International Trade Union Confederation

11.45 AM – 12 NOON Break

12 NOON – 1 PM International Organisation of Employers

****

3 PM – 3.30 PM South Africa

3.30 PM – 4 PM Germany

4 PM – 4.30 PM Australia

4.30 PM – 4.45 PM Break

4.45 PM – 5.15 PM Bangladesh

5.15 PM – 5.45 PM Colombia

5.45 PM – 6.15 PM Cameroon

Tuesday 7 October 2025:

10 AM – 10.30 AM Brazil

10.30 AM – 11 AM Egypt

11 AM – 11.30 AM Spain

11.30 AM – 11.45 AM Break

11.45 AM – 12.15 PM Indonesia

12.15 PM – 12.45 PM Iraq

****

3 PM – 3.30 PM Mauritius

3.30 PM – 4 PM Mexico

4 PM – 4.30 PM Norway

4.30 PM – 4.45 PM Break

4.45 PM – 5.15 PM Panama

5.15 PM – 5.45 PM United Kingdom

Wednesday 8 October 2025:

10 AM – 10.30 AM Uruguay

10.30 AM – 11 AM Somalia

11 AM – 11.30 AM Switzerland

11.30 AM – 11.45 AM Break

11.45 AM – 12.15 PM Vanuatu

12.15 PM – 12.45 PM International Cooperative Alliance

12.45 PM – 1.15 PM   Business Africa

On 10th November 2023, the Governing Body of the ILO, at its 349th bis (special) session,

adopted a resolution on the interpretation of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right

to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) with respect to the right to strike, requesting an advisory

opinion from the Court.

In its resolution, the Governing Body states that it is “conscious that there is serious and persistent disagreement” among the Organisation’s tripartite constituents on the interpretation of the Convention, and decides, in accordance with Article 37, paragraph 1, of the ILO Constitution,

“to request the International Court of Justice to render urgently an advisory opinion under Article 65, paragraph 1, of the Statute of the Court, and under Article 103 of the Rules of Court, on the following question:

Is the right to strike of workers and their organisations protected under the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87)?”

The request for an advisory opinion was transmitted to the Court by the Director-General of

the ILO by a letter dated 13 November 2023.

On 16th November 2023, the Court made an Order organising the proceedings, in which it fixed

16th May 2024 as the time-limit for the presentation of written statements and 16 September 2024 as

the time-limit for the submission of written comments on those statements.

In total, 31 written statements were filed in the Registry by (in order of receipt):

The International Cooperative Alliance, the ILO, France, Vanuatu, the Organisation of African,

Caribbean and Pacific States, Spain, Italy, the International Trade Union Confederation, the World

Federation of Trade Unions, the United Kingdom, Colombia, Bangladesh, Germany, Poland,

Business Africa, the International Organisation of Employers, South Africa, Canada, Switzerland,

Norway, Tunisia, the United States, Australia, Japan, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Mexico, Somalia, the

Netherlands, Belize and Brazil.

In addition, 15 sets of written comments on those statements were filed in the Registry by (in order of receipt):

the International Trade Union Confederation, Japan, Mexico, the International Cooperative Alliance, Tunisia, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, South Africa, Switzerland, the United States, the International Organisation of Employers, Business Africa, Australia, Bangladesh, the Netherlands and Vanuatu.

Subsequently, the United Kingdom informed the Court of the withdrawal of its written statement and the United States notified the Court of the withdrawal of its written statement and written comments.

Team Maverick